Come Dance with Me
by Ramica
Summary: When the music calls will ninja dance? And will a 12 year old Rama find a dance partner in her solitary dance. Part of the Rama series
1. Chapter 1

Come and Dance with Me

Rated:K

Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT.

_To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful – Agnes De Mille_

The turtle family was busy with their own tasks, breakfast and morning practice had been completed a few hours back, Raph was now busy with some of the children in the playground doing some friendly competition in shooting hoops, Master Splinter and Leonardo were meditating, Mike was working in the kitchen mixing up a large batch of cookies. Don and Jen were both busy working on their new company Jenate Tech and some of the clients demands for it.

Suddenly, the general peace and quiet was broken by a loud rock beat blasting from the dojo, the music was loud enough it could be heard through a large section of the underground lair. Splinter laid his ears back, and muttered something softly under his breath as the first few notes came almost vibrating into the room they were in. His tail thumped the floor in irritation.

The old rat opened his eyes, "Ah yes, Ramiela is almost a teenager, Michaelangelo best watch out."

Leo chuckled a little, his niece, was going be turning thirteen soon enough "I'll go tell her to turn it down, she shouldn't have music on that loud in the dojo anyways."

Splinter merely nodded, he recalled the problems and difficulties that came with teenagers, but he had almost forgotten how much they loved to turn the volume up on music, television or anything else to drown out the world around them.

Leo rose and headed out of the meditation room and paused as he saw all three of his brothers leaning in the doorway of the dojo watching something, and not one of them moving to turn down the music from within.

Mike turned with a wide grin on his face, "Leo look at her go!" he spoke with a great amount of pride and his eyes sparkled with barely contained enthusiasim.

Leo scowled and muttered, "Can't any of you take her in hand and remind her to show respect for…"

He was cut off by a sharp dirty, scathing look from Raphael, "Leo shut yer trap and look."

Leo looked into the dojo and saw his niece, the girl's long hair was down and as she moved it whirled and fanned out around her, the soft minty green colour of her skin was offset by the darkness of her black hair.

Ramiela didn't even seemed concerned she had an audience she was lost in the moves of the exercise she was working on, clearly it was a kata and yet at the same time the other moves and the way the girl would sway or side step here or there made it look more like a dance.

Rama leaped high in the air, flipping into a back flip, she came down balanced on her right leg whirling around in a circle and doing a quick roundhouse kick, she landed and struck out with fast fists at an imaginary opponent, then arched her back into a back flip, and with legs under her on landing, pushed up swaying and moving to the music letting the beat of the song drive her.

Leonardo paused arching an eye ridge as he watched impressed with this free form display of his student.

Mike shook his head, "I can't stand this anymore the girl needs a partner!" he declared and hardly were the words out of his mouth when he was jumping in to the dojo, his hands reaching for one of the chucks tucked safely in his belt.

Ramiela spun and noticed him, a small smile played across her face, and her hand plucked the sai from her belt, she crouched, waiting for him to come to her. But as Mike closed in she back flipped away.

Mike smiled, and laughed realizing his daughter had welcomed his willingness to join her. He got her into a corner she moved a little to the left but his weapon swung, only for the girl to move to his right.

Ramiela waited as the song switched to another equally hard fast beat song, this wasn't her work out tape for nothing. She jabbed with her sai to her dad's unprotected spot but a move of Mike's wrist brought his weapon around to block the strike.

Rama moved her other weapon towards the upper arm and Mike effectively blocked it, Rama pressed in and turned so it seemed they were circling each other. Their feet sliding over the mats, then Rama broke away jumping high in the air and away from her opponent a large smile on her face.

Mike charged towards her and Rama dived sliding between his legs, Mike jumped spinning around and reached down to take her hands in his and help his daughter to her feet. Rama laughed with delight as she whirled away from him again.

Raph grinned "That girl can dance you want to try at her Don?"

Don nodded and took out his staff and headed into the dojo, he swung his weapon at her head, the air whistling as it moved by, Ramiela ducked back and limboed her way under the staff, Causing Mike and Raph to crack up laughing.

The girl tucked her own weapons away and reached to grasp the bo staff, Don pulled it away and spun the weapon, making Rama only give a mischievious little grin. "You come out here to dance but don't want to play?" She chided "Come on Uncle Donnie."

She whirled and spun on one leg over to the wall and took a staff of her own, she tossed the weapon lightly from hand to hand then behind her back. She caught it and thumped one end down on the ground in time to the beat. Her body shifting and swaying to the music like a cobra moving to the vibration sounds of a flute.

She sent the weapon spinning so it blurred before the eyes and then headed towards him, allowing the staff to hit hard against his weapon then the two became locked in a dance where low swings of the long staffs were leaped over and strikes were dodged or connected to while they moved forward then back.

One would move to the left the other to the right as if synchronized and in tune with the others moves – and in essence they were- for in battle one had to be, to save from being cut down or severly hurt it was better to learn your enemies moves before they made it.

Raph had been watching all the fun but he had enough the moves and the music Ramiela's playful ways of turning the exercise into some fun with her music calling to him – and while Raphael might insist many times to his own wife that he didn't know how to dance,- he had to join Rama in this.

"Stand back Don it's time to show her how ninja really dance." He declared.

Don back stepped as Raph came in fast and hard, he did a hard tornado kick, followed by fast strikes of his hands as he threw some punches at the girl.

Rama rolled her eyes, and chuckled inwardly she moved fluidly and with grace away from the kick and then began to block his strikes with moves of her own, or twisting her body to deflect the blows that got past her defenses.

While her dad and Don had tried to keep the beat of the music, Raph didn't seem to heed it. '_I'm going need a totally different song for him I think, or teach him to move with the beat.'_ She mused, to herself.

She did her best to guide him by using her own hard strikes, kicks and punches to bring him down and to the level it needed to be at to meet the time of the tempo in the music that was playing.

Mike chuckled, "He is one bad tempered ninja but he can't dance."

Though slowly with the two ninja going at the task, using no weapons just hand to hand and the dojo floor, Ramiela using as much as could to lure him to the spot where the music playing and the moves made were one and the same, or felt like it.

Leo had been watching the display, recognizing this as a form of exercise and training, but also seeing in it a form of art, beautiful and striking. Fast paced, hard hitting and then there was the feeling of peace, energy and beyond that sheer enjoyment.

' _How often,'_ he mused, _'Did Raph or Mike miss out on lessons or did their best to have little or no discipline in training? Yet, Ramiela has grabbed all our attention and has all of us wanting to jump in and partner her with her dance.' _

He recalled his original intentions of coming to turn down the music and talk with his student about it but he found after watching the display and how easily Rama worked with the music, that instead of stopping her, he too longed to join in.

Ramiela glanced up, "Sensei, come on!" She urged him, as if picking up on his unspoken words, and perhaps she had.

Raph did a back flip out of the way and turned to see if Leo would take her up on her invitation.

Seeing that her Sensei did not seem to jump at the chance she smirked slightly and reached up over her shoulder to withdraw one of the katana she carried on her back. She began twirling and moving the weapon, knowing that this might be all she needed.

Leo knew she was challenging him in some unspoken form or fashion, yet he couldn't help but answer the unspoken words that lay between them. He easily and with fluid flowing grace removed a katana of his own, and then went to join her on the mats of the dojo floor.

Rama grinned wide her grayish green eyes dancing with delight. The first ring of the swords adding a soft counterpoint to the music that played. The two stood braced close facing one another with their weapons locked.

Rama pulled away and back, with Leo pressing her, she flipped and came down near his back and he spun to face her only for her katana to start a rapid beat of tempo to the music that played.

Each strike, counterstrike, feint, parry and dodge was timed with presciscion and skill, flowing and graceful. The two ninja seemed far more locked in a dance then any of them before this.

Ramilea's breath was coming hard and fast but the smile on her face and the enjoyment and happiness that shone in her eyes said she was content in the game they were playing. A light bit of sweat was coming on her brow.

But she was willing to see this one dance through, it was not often that her Sensei would join in and now that the two of them were locked in a dance of sword, flesh and music it felt invigorating and enticing and in some ways and fashion, addicting.

Leo reached out and pulled Ramiela in with his arm and then he whipped her out spinning across the dojo.

Then the fun and enjoyment ended as Splinter looked in and declared, "Will you please turn that racket off?" He looked at Leonardo and Rama with their weapons locked and smiles on their faces he shook his head. "Here we go again," he muttered wearily to himself.

Ramiela giggled as she went to turn down the music, "Sorry Master, I just wanted to dance," she apologized contritely. "I'd like to dance again too."

"I don't mind you having fun Ramiela, but remember you must respect the dojo." Splinter scolded and glared a little at the others.

Leo placed a hand on his student's shoulder, "She was respectful of it Master and training hard enough she had all of us joining with her." He looked down at her, "If you ever want to dance like that again, I'd love to be your partner."

"And I'd be honoured Sensei." Ramiela replied. "After all, one can not trust a spiritual leader who can not dance."

"Ooh?" Leo arched an eye ridge.

"That is what Mr. Miyagi said in the movie the next karate kid."

Leo rolled his eyes, "So you wanted to see if your spiritual leaders could dance?" he half snapped.

She laughed, then, reminded him rather truthfully, "No one asked you too, you did it yourselves."

The End.


	2. Chapter 2: The Master's Song

Come Dance With Me.

Disclaimer:** I still don't own them. How sad! **

**Author's Note:** Well it was supposed to be a one shot but a couple reviewers mentioned wanting to see Splinter, somehow in on the action. But the Master is old and rock music isn't really his style. This chapter is for the Master, and for those who wanted it. Ramica

**Part Two: The Master's Song. **

Leo finished his lesson with his student, it was a few weeks after Rama's impromptu dance training session in the dojo. "You know, I've been thinking…"

"Careful sensei you might get hurt doing that," the girl quipped giving him a cheeky grin.

"Are you pushing for some flips, or perhaps an essay on respect for your instructor?" Leo inquired arching an eye ridge as he stared at the girl through narrowed eyes.

Ramiela was fighting to keep a smile from off her face, "Really Sensei, you leave yourself open for attack, and then complain when I _**gently **_take advantage of it. You, know if I left myself open like that in battle, I'd be getting extra training sessions as _well, _as a lecture."

"You are your father's daughter," Leo muttered, with a shake of his head, "but you do have a point, being a Mike child means one should never give you an opening - of any kind."

Ramiela sat down on the mats in a lotus position, "So, anyways what were you going to say?"

"I believe Master Splinter would have loved, to see your display of dance and martial arts mixed but rock and roll is not his style. He never cared for it or the heavy metal, or rap style music we listened to in our day."

" **You, **listened to that sort of stuff?" Rama asked disbelief in her voice.

"A little, though it was more your father and Raph's style of music." He confessed.

Rama gave a sage nod as if to say, she thought as much.

"Being a rat, Splinter's hearing has always been a little more sensitive then ours and certain notes in that style of music is very jarring, and very irritating to him," Leo explained. " As he has gotten older his tolerance level has gone down."

Rama sighed, "Slow songs are doable to some extent - maybe do a tango but I'm not much into ball room dancing. To work out you _need _good music, something that fuels the punches and kicks as well as the getting' do-oown." the girl drew out the last word, and laughed at the look on her Sensei's face.

" It doesn't have to be slow, just not too rocking," Leo corrected.

Rama sighed and rolled her eyes, "Sure take the fun out of it Sensei," she half snorted.

"Come on don't you want to know if the true spiritual leader of the clan can dance, know if he can be trusted?" Leo half mocked. Reminding her of her words about 'never trusting a spiritual leader who could not dance.'

"He's the Master of course he can be trusted." Rama declared, with pride.

"Ah, but you have no idea if he can dance, not unless you can find a dance that will move him," Leo suggested, then he paused and looked at the girl who was resting at his feet. "Then again maybe you aren't up to the challenge, though I figured a girl who comes up with all of those practical jokes on April Fool's ought to be up to the challenge. But maybe, I'm mistaken."

Rama's back straightened, and she crossed her arms over her plastron, "Are you challenging me?"

"What do you think?" Leo inquired, not even trying to answer her question.

"Okay fine! You are** on **Sensei, I'll find the music and we'll see what happens." Rama smirked.

Leo nodded, "You find the music, and I'll make sure the Master will be here for it from there on in it is between you, and him."

XXX

It took a while for Ramiela to find the right song, she knew classical music would probably suit the Master's desires and not all classical music was necessarily boring she was rather fond of Pachbel's cannon, which was soothing and comforting perfect for sleeping or meditation, which was interchangeable as far as she was concerned. Of course there was Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with the guns and cannons - perfect music for dancing a war battle - but it would **not **be suited to the Master's Sensitive ears.

Tango or Salsa type music might be fun to try but Rama felt tango wasn't her style, though salsa might be worth trying but perhaps the Master would not be willing to keep up with such a spicy fast paced dance.

There was soft, slow romantic soothing music but she also needed something that fit with the moves of a kata or sparring and finding the right music for that was not easy.

Ramiela sighed and continued to search for some form of music that would be acceptable by the Master, while at the same time suited to the dance form that needed to be shown.

The girl had a vast array of music, and she loved songs of all kinds, she listened to country, classic, rock, and a variety of other music. "Hmmm," she glanced through her numerous cds, tapes and shuffled through songs and music on her ipod.

She checked out show tunes from Cats, Evita and soundtracks of movies she scoured and searched, scanned, mused and debated. She had a few options and would listen to them carefully, trying to see if any of the music might bother or disturb the Master's more sensitive hearing. Then would either reject the song or put it down as a possibility.

The song would decide in the end if the Master danced or not, so the Master's song had to encourage him to join in, but before that there had to be other music that might lure him to watch and be drawn in.

Rama was aware the Master could no longer move as he once had when she was young, he was very old and his body stiffer, he might be able to handle kicks but not as high as he once managed and there was also arthritic joints to consider.

'_If we are going pull this off we best do it when it isn't so cold or damp, when his joints won't pain him so.' _She smiled, '_It would be fun, just to dance with him, even without the sparring effect.'_

Finally, after a great deal of time and consideration she came across the perfect selection of music to play for the Master. Just in case she was wrong, or had picked things that had slipped past her guard she played her selection of tunes for her sensei to get his opinion.

XXX

Leo knew he had to be careful with how things were approached to their Master, Splinter could not sense any subterfuge, and while their were days and times when his mind wandered - there were other times of sharp, crystal clarity that showed all too well, that he was still a Master in more ways then one.

"Master if you are up to it, I think Ramiela could use a little help with some of her meditative focus. I think the two of us working with her would be beneficial to her." Leo spoke calmly, hiding his true intent deep as he poured the tea and offered the cup to his mentor with a bow.

"What do you expect of her Leonardo, her mind is always running so hard it is often difficult to quiet it, and like her father it is almost impossible to pin her down." Splinter replied, his whiskers twitched a little, wondering about something. Sensing perhaps that there was something Leonardo was not saying, but he was quite willing to aid and take a hand in his grand daughter's training whenever possible, for she did not yet know of the path she walked. Splinter was aware though, for he had picked been the one to pick her as the future Jonin of the clan after Leonardo stepped down. "We will see if together we can show her what true focus means."

"Thank you Master."

As it grew time for Ramiela's lesson, Splinter headed to the dojo. His ears twitched as he heard soft strain of music, and he wondered if Leonardo was going try music as a form of getting Ramiela to focus and relax into a more meditative state.

As the music was low, and not disturbing others in the lair he was willing to let it go. As he entered the dojo he could hear the music change just a little, it became a bit quicker in tempo but the notes were still relaxing enough to him.

He paused as he saw Leonardo, his sword out and raised locked against Ramiela's blade, the girl back stepped and spun bringing her arm down, and seeming to pull Leo's sword almost with her. She stepped into him as their arms raised once more, Leo sidestepped to the left as she swung her leg up as if to kick at him with her move.

Splinter watched the moves for a moment, his nose and ears twitching a bit, his tail moving lazily over the mats as he watched, suddenly he blinked and paused, a little awed as he realized the harmony the co-ordination of what he was watching.

For a moment, his hair bristled, and his spine stiffened a little with irritation as he realized that he had been tricked, and then a small smile crept slowly across his face, for he knew without a doubt that the trick had been well played and worth it, to see the view before him.

The two warriors back flipped in unison and landed on the mats as if in perfect synchronicity.

Splinter relaxed a little leaning on his cane and watching each move as if ready to fault either of them for the slightest misstep, after all he was still the **Master** of ninjitsu in this clan. But he admired each move, and counter step.

At the end of the song Rama bowed to her sensei and he to her. Then turned to smile at the old rat, " Rippa Sensei yurusu watashitachi suru atarashii kenshu" (honoured teacher forgive us, we were doing new training.)

Splinter smiled hearing the Japanese words, "Kenshu ima dansu to geijutsu ka" (Training is now dance and art?)

"Hai," Rama replied honestly, "But were not ninja trained in various art forms, like theatre and dance?"

"Yes Ramiela and a ninja never knew when talents or skills in different arts might place them in the right spot for a mission." Master Splinter agreed with a nod of his head.

Ramiela grinned a little, "Would you like to try the new training?" she wondered, and gave him an expectant look.

Splinter chuckled softly with amusement, "And you the student wishes to teach, _now _Ramiela?"

Rama took a deep breath, "Well haven't you said that even a teacher can learn from the student at times," She countered. "Besides, it isn't like I'd really be teaching anyways. You all ready know it Master it is what you taught us and you learned it from Master Yoshi himself."

Suddenly the music, that was still playing shifted to a new song, this one had a very Asian style pace and rhythm to it. Splinter's ears perked slightly and his whiskers twitched, his dark eyes seemed to grow a bit darker for a brief moment.

"Hamato Yoshi used to practice the shushi-no-kon-sho to this music for Tang Shen."

Rama smiled, "Really?" She seemed to consider " It does seem to fit the moves of that kata doesn't it? I know it has been a while Master but do you think you could do it? I could restart the song at the beginning if you want to do the shushi -no-kon-sho."

Splinter nodded, "I should be able to handle most of the kata, it might be nice if only for the memory."

Rama moved over to the cd player and pushed the required buttons for the machine to replay the track it was on. She paused it and turned to insure that Splinter was ready before hitting play.

Leo silently reached out to his brothers, _'Guys, if you don't want to miss this you best get to the dojo at ninja speed.' _

Splinter had taken his position on the mat and bowed as if to an imaginary opponent, and Ramiela clicked the music to begin as she watched the first few moves performed by the Master.

The moves were not at top speed, but there was no denying that one making the preliminary steps of the kata was familiar with it, in every sense of the word.

Rama suddenly darted in katana in hand to give Splinter the opponent, she too knew that bo kata inside and out, she could tell you each step of the one hundred and fifty moves that comprised the kata. She knew the moves that were going come and each one that had been made, and so knowing it meant she could easily play the attacker of the kata giving Splinter a true opponent.

Splinter seemed to pick up a little more speed as if by having the girl spar with him pushed him a little further. But Ramiela was very careful to not push too hard.

By the time that song was over another Japanese style song had begun and the shushi-no-kon-sho was over. But the two were locked in the combat dance and both of them moved across the mat.

Only this time it was Ramiela who lead the moves, starting to mold the steps of battle far more into the moves of a dance.

The other three turtles had arrived and leaned in the door way watching the two ninjas, the elderly master and his grand daughter dance together while in the midst of sparring.

When the song was finished Rama bowed to the Master, "It is true what they say Master, one is never too old to learn."

"Ah, Ramiela," Splinter smiled, "It is also true that at times even a child can lead with wisdom and strength." He reached out and pulled her into a hug, "Arigato gozaimasu rippa mago-musume." (Thank you honoured Grand daughter.)

The end.


End file.
